Cynanthropy or Weredogs

The second most common form of shapeshifting known to humans (with werewolves being number 1) is cynanthropy. Cynanthropy is the technical term to describe a weredog – in other words, a human that transforms into a dog. Since there are not many humans that actually are familiar with the term “Cynanthropy”, some weredogs describe themselves as “canine shapeshifters”.

The term “cynanthropy” can be broken down in Greek as: kun-, kuōn meaning “dog” and anthrōpos, meaning “man”.

While weredogs may seem to be a modern phenomenon, their roots are actually quite old. Perhaps one of the earliest associations with a “shapeshifted” dog can be found in the myths and legends of Hecate – an ancient goddess. Ancient writings depict the goddess as having three heads – one representing a horse, one of a dog, and one of a serpent. Other writings depict the goddess as always accompanied by a dog companion. Some say that the dog companion that is often seen with the goddess is actually the shapeshifted Queen Hekabe (aka Queen Hecuba). Also interestingly, the goddess Hecate herself is often depicted as a dog!!

It is important to understand that weredogs are different from werewolves. When the weredog transforms, it is generally into a larger dog breed type. Weredogs are certainly powerful creatures with enhanced senses, but do not have the sheer power that a werewolf has. In addition, the weredog is not governed by lunar cycles or the moon in the manner that some werewolves are. It is also said that a weredog cannot infect humans with a bite or a scratch, but rather one is born into being a weredog, or develops it latently. In human form, a weredog is virtually indistinguishable from a regular human.

@ Josie Thew, i have the same thing going on. i have the strangest feeling to run around, do things i wouldn’t normally do in my daily life, (yes, i do run, but horribly,) and i have just started trying to find out more about werewolves and lycanthropy…. and i’m sorry, but i cannot give you an answer to your question, as i do not have one…

She wolf actually the full moon does affect a werewolf transformation. The animal instincts are very powerful and the wolf inside of the werewolf is emerging but not fully into a wolf and the dark power of the full moon powers the wolf inside.

And actually the weredog is also anthropomorphic as well and is a weaker less instinctive and not as cool looking as the werewolf either. They are Referred to as furries. (not the people who dress up.) They are also more loyal to humans for it is the human the dog relies on. They are less feral as well.

ORIGIN WOLVEN originated in England about 120 years ago a witches coven was working on a spell that was supposed to turn them into dogs for a day or two but they messed up somehow and one of the witches was a dog by day and a human by night however her thought was still that of a human. She also had a craving for dead horse meat.

POWERS

Shift-dog by day this form also has human thought and blood which can be used for brews.

mmm…. about that full moon…. it always affects me, I feel my pupils getting larger and sometimes I even feel like I want to climb out of my own skin… My fiance’ has bought me anti-depressants to help me, but it don’t work, I went to a doctor and he scanned me for schizophrenia and I don’t have it. I use have this feeling that I was being followed or watched in South Africa, my home country, by something bigger than human, it also left strange huge footprints on my car one day after the mist settled down. It was big, the night before I saw something lwith a head shaped like a german sheppard dog, only much bigger, and I could see it breathing, the reflection on the curtains from the moonlight, I froze. It stood outside my window for about 10 minutes.. I barely exhaled for those 10 minutes. Felt like the longest 10 minutes of my life. I am 28 years old… I still have some kind of weird inexplainable seizure. I have not been sick in 7 years. I don’t get sick anymore. My body has become stronger, but I don’t exercise, my wounds heal 5 times faster than other people I know. Sometimes I can hear through walls, and see extremely far … my eyes are blinded by florescent lights, it makes me aggressive. . @Elderwerewolf777:

Finally someone mentions cynanthropy. also, I should mention in San Diego were dogs aren’t considered the same classification as werewolves. There actually believed to be from a line of cursed humans. I feel like its more of a blessing, really.

[…] of the full moon is far from being alone, however. In Africa, there are legends of werehyenas. Cynanthropy is a condition in which a person believes they can shape-shift into the form of a dog. And then there are […]